Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2016 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ =========================================================================== Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== The Pentwater (Mich.) News Friday, October 11, 1872 THE BURNING OF THE NORTHERN OHIO LUNATIC ASYLUM. A fire broke out in the Northern Ohio Lunatic Asylum at Newburgh, four miles from this city, about one o'clock yesterday afternoon, and in five hours almost the entire building was in ruins. The fire was first discovered in the cupola on the central wing. A couple of carpenters were employed in placing a lantern upon the top of the cupola, which is the highest point of the building, being 114 feet from the ground. Near the cupola, about ten feet distant, two tinners were employed in making repairs to the roof, and were the first to discover it. The workmen had been on the building but a short time after dinner when the fire was discovered. They immediately made their escape to the ground as best they could, and spread the alarm, and in an instant all was wild confusion and uproar. A word converted a lunatic asylum, under thorough discipline, and moving along orderly and peacefully under the supervision of the seventy-five attendants and officers, into a scene of terrible confusion, in which sane people grew wild, and insane people became demons, fierce and wild under the intense excitement that aggravated their disordered minds. "Fire!" "fire!" rang out and was continued along the miles of halls and wards in the fated building, carrying dismay and con- sternation everywhere. Attendants with pale cheeks and quivering hearts sped in affright along the corridors, where the poor inmates were wandering in wild dismay at the panic. Men shouted, women screamed, lunatics roared and yelled and laughed, while others stood silent and strangely calm, trying to cogitate some reason for the uproar and confusion. The hose connecting with the water-tanks, which were directly under the cupola and the fire, were got out as soon as possible, and attempts made to throw water upon the spreading flames, which had made but little headway yet, and if water could be got into them immediately it seemed probable, and it was possible, to check and subdue them. But no water came. Why should it? The tanks were below the fire, and water does not run up hill unless there is a strong pressure in the rear. There is a steam force-pump connected with the buildings, but it might have been miles away for all the good it done at the time it was most needed. There was not a ladder on the grounds by which the roof could be reached from the outside. There is no engine stationed in Newburgh, no steamer nearer than Cleveland, four miles away, and $600,000 worth of State property at the mercy of a fire which an inch stream could have checked, and the hungry flames, made fierce by the winds, ran swiftly among the dry timbers, with those who have already assembled powerless to prevent their progress. Shortly before two o'clock, three-quarters of an hour after the fire was discovered, a terrible casualty occurred, causing the only loss of life positively known up to Wednesday evening. Near the center dome was an immense tank containing 8,000 gallons of water, kept constantly full for the supply of the building. The supports of the tank having burned away, it fell, the great weight carrying it entirely down to the basement, crashing through all the inter- mediate floors. Miss MARY WALKER, a seamstress in the institution, was upon the third floor, and had been gathering up a few valuables belonging to her. She was in the hall, near the front, probably about to descend about to descend the stairway, when the terrible crash came. The falling mass passed near her, tearing up the floor beneath her feet. In some way one of her limbs got fast in the debris and it was impossible for her to extricate herself. JOSEPH TURNEY and JOHN DIPLEY were in the reception room, on the second floor, trying to save the piano and other articles of value. Im- mediately after the crash they discovered Miss WALKER in her perilous condition and made every effort in their power to save her. Seizing a bed, they shouted to her to drop herself upon it, not knowing that she was held fast by the timbers. The stairs had been carried away, and it was impossible to get to her. They took hold of the other foot, which hung down over the edge of the chasm, and tried to pull her down, but without avail. The fire which had been carried down by the falling tank blazed up through the open- ing, and at length scorched and well nigh suffocated with the heat and smoke, they were obliged to abandon her or inevitably share the same terrible fate themselves. When they left her her clothing had taken fire and she was quickly enveloped in flame. The men found themselves in a critical situation, escape by the stairway having been cut off. Mr. TURNEY tied some sheets together and was about to descend by that means, when a long plank was placed up to a window and he got down in safety. Mr. DIPLEY got out upon the roof veran- dah and reached the ground by sliding down one of the pillars. It is probable that BENJAMIN BURGESS, of Bedford, also lost his life at this time. He happened to be in the village, and was among the most active in his efforts to save life and property. It is known that he was at or near the place where the tank fell through, and up to evening nothing more had been seen or heard of him. It is supposed he was crushed by the fall. ALFRED BROWN, aged 13, only son of the railway-station agent at Newburgh, at the same time received injuries that will in all probability prove fatal. One of his legs was broken, and he was drenched with hot water, being literally scalded from head to foot. He was removed to a neighboring house and medical aid summoned. He suffered the most excruciating agony, and it was the opinion of the physician that he could not long survive. In the hurry of the hour many of the insane doubtless made their escape and are at large, but the greater portion of the 225 inmates were taken care of and guarded by their attendants. The women were grouped together among the bedding and furniture, some were sitting quietly watching the flames, others were laughing and talking, and one, a pale suffering creature, was upon her bended knees, with her hands folded, her face upturned, and her body waving to and fro, pouring out a prayer. One jolly lunatic was laughing gaily and telling herself all about the fire in German; another was standing giving orders to those who were removing the furniture, the whole making such a scene of suffering and misery as will not be effaced from the memory of those who saw it in a lifetime. The men were placed in the garden. Some were sitting sad and silent by their bundles, which they had brought out with them; others were cursing and mumbling to themselves. One old grey-headed man was wild and raving, and it required two men to hold him. He imagined himself God, and thought they were trying to cut his throat, and defied them with curses and awful blasphemy, that almost made the flesh creep. We saw one poor fellow sitting on the ground eating grapes and tomatoes as if he had not tasted food for months. An Irishman, bareheaded and barefooted, was rolling on the grass, laughing and swearing, and entertaining a crowd of the curious ones by his antics. As fast as transportation could be secured, the patients were removed to Newburgh, where they were placed in the churches and hotels. In the evening a train was chartered, and a number were taken to the workhouse, and others were brought to the city in wagons and placed in the Central station. - Cleveland Leader, Sept. 26. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Ottawa (Canada) Daily Citizen October 4, 1872 A TERRIBLE SCENE The Burning of the Northern Ohio Insane Asylum - Six Hundred Lunatics Turned Out - Excitement and Terror of the Patients, &c, &c, &c, (From the Cleveland Herald) We have rarely been called upon to record a more serious and lamentable public calamity than a nearly total destruction by fire, Wednesday afternoon, of the Northern Ohio Lunatic Asylum, at Newburg. The building was a splendid structure, 900 feet in length the exterior walls being entirely of stone. Two large wings had just been completed, at a cost of $600,00. These increased the capacity of the institution to 600 patients, fully that number being on the books at the time of the disaster. The crowded con- dition of the asylum was owing to the fact that there were 150 patients from the Central Ohio District, the new asylum at Colum- bus, upon the site of the one burned two or three years ago, not being yet completed. SCENES OF EXCITEMENT AND TERROR It was hoped at first that the flames might be extinguished without creating alarm among the multitude of inmates, the con- sequences of which none could foretell. In the course of fifteen or twenty minutes, however, that in spite of every effort the flames had worked downward, and were rapidly spreading through the upper story of the building in every direction. The sad truth was felt that at least the centre portion was doomed to destruction. Orders were given for the immediate removal of the patients, and a large number of the attaches of the institution and others addressed themselves to this work with the greatest zeal and energy, while others still sought, by the aid of hose, buckets and other ap- pliances at hand, to check the flames. The scenes that ensued dur- ing the next hour defy description. The officers and attendants throughout the institution made haste to unlock the doors of the various wards and cells, and directed the inmates to leave the building at once. A portion of them complied promptly, and even rendered valuable assistance in the rescue of others. Some of the unfortunates were appalled with terror and became absolutely fran- tic, uttering piercing shrieks and cries. The extreme difficulty of controlling SIX HUNDRED LUNATICS under such circumstances can be but faintly imagined. Many reso- lutely refused to leave their cells, concealing themselves in closet or under their beds, and neither persuasion nor threats were of any avail. In many instances it was found necessary to pull them out of their hiding places by main force. In several cases such stout resistance was made that the strength of two or three men were required to overcome a single patient. In a few of the worst cases they struggled fearfully, fighting and resisting with that almost superhuman power so often manifested by the insane. Some of them insisted on taking with them all their clothing, bedding of every kind, and could only with the utmost difficulty, be forced to leave without them. One man tied up an immense bundle, that would have staggered a pack-horse, and was vainly trying to lift it from the flour (sic). He had to be actually torn away from it by two men and dragged to the place of exit. THE FEMALE PATIENTS were even more difficult to manage than the males. More susceptible to excitement and alarm, many of them ran hither and thither in frantic terror, some making all haste to escape, and others, as in the case of the men, refusing to leave their cells. Scores of them were taken by force, resisting in every possible way with all their strength. Several patients, after being set at liberty in the grounds, rushed back into the burning, to be again borne struggling out. In that part of the building nearest where the fire originated some of the wards were filled with stifling heat and smoke before the last of the patients therein could be conducted to a place of safety. Further from the centre the wards were generally cleared before the fire reached them. Hundreds of men and women from the village and the region adjacent to the asylum were engaged in the work of rescuing the patients in all parts of the building and the excitement was intense beyond all power of expression in words. The fire, meanwhile had been making rapid strides and before the remov- al of the inmates from the remote wards had been completed the in- terior of the central portion was one mass of flame. A FEARFUL AND FATAL CRASH. Shortly before two o'clock, three quarters of an hour after the fire was discovered, a terrible casualty occurred. Near the centre dome was an immense tank, containing eight thousand gallons of water, kept constantly full for the supply of the building. The supports of the tank having been burned away it fell, the weight carrying it down to the basement, crashing through all the inter- mediate floors. Miss MARY WALKER, a seamstress in the institution, was upon the third floor, and had been gathering up a few valuables belonging to her. She was in the hall, near the front, probably about to descend the stairway, when the terrible crash came. The falling mass passed near her, tearing up the floor under her feet. In some way her limbs got fast in the debris, and it was impossible for her to extricate herself. JOSEPH TURNEY and JOHN DIPLEY were in the reception room, on the second floor, trying to save the piano and some other articles of value. Immediately after the crash they discovered Miss WALKER in her perilous condition, and made every effort in their power to save her. Seizing a bed they shouted to her to drop herself upon it, not knowing that she was held fast by the timbers. The stairs had been carried away, and it was impos- sible to get to her. They took hold of the other foot, which hung over the edge of the chasm, and tried to pull her down, but with- out avail. The fire which had been carried down by the falling tank blazed up through the opening, and at length scorched and well nigh suffocated with the heat and smoke, they were obliged to abandon her, or inevitably share the same terrible fate themselves. When they left her her clothing had taken fire, and she was quickly enveloped in flames. The men found themselves in a critical situa- tion, escape by the stairway having been cut off. Mr. TURNEY tied some sheets together, and was about to descend by that means when a long plank was placed up to a window, and he got down in safety. Mr.DIPLEY got out upon the roof of the veranda, and reached the ground by sliding down one of the pillars. ABOUT THE GROUNDS. the scene was one of the wildest confusion. Hundreds of people were running into and out of the building, after the inmates had been removed, engaged in saving moveable property. A vast amount of bedding and furniture of every kind was borne out and heaped upon the ground. Six hundred insane men and women were scattered about, many of them screaming and running wildly through the crowd. As long as any were in danger within the building the only the only thought was to save life, and they were suffered to roam at will outside. As soon as possible an organized effort was made to gather them together and care for them as well as possible under the try- ing circumstances. The people of Newburg did nobly throwing open their houses for the reception of the sick, who had been all safely carried out on beds, and such others as were harmless and could be trusted in their charge. They extended every facility in their power for meeting the terrible exigencies of the occasion. DISPOSITION OF THE PATIENTS The majority of the patients were gradually collected and re- moved in waggons to the churches in the village, all of which were immediately thrown open to them. Considerable difficulty was ex- perienced in removing them from the grounds. Some had to be forced into the vehicles by main strength, and it was necessary for atten- dants to accompany every load. Pale, haggard and wild, beating the air and raving incoherently, moaning and weeping in their distress, uttering maniacal laughs, or sitting in sullen silence, these un- fortunates presented a spectacle that moved the stoutest hearts. By four o'clock all had been removed to the village or the neighboring houses. Similar scenes were witnessed at the churches, where the greater portion were collected. Few had sufficient reason to com- prehend the events of the day. Some crouched down in terror, others raved wildly, or indulged in singing, laughing, crying, shouting or swearing, the whole uniting to form a terrible chorus that seemed like pandemonium itself. No words can give adaquate portrayal to the scene. Nurses and attendants belonging to the asylum were placed in charge of each detachment, and the men and women of the village, in far greater number than could possibly be employed, offered their service to assit in caring for the needy. THE DEAD. Miss WALKER, whose sad death has been mentioned, was a most estimable lady, about forty years of age. She had been connected with the asylum for six years, and was universally held in high esteem. Her friends live in Newburg. Mr. BURGESS was a young married man, living in Bedford. It was not known positively that he was killed, but at dark his friends had little hope left that he had escaped. It was thought by some that two or three of the patients lost their lives, but it was the general belief among the officers of the asylum that all were saved. A few of them were scorched, but none seriously burned. It will be impossible for several days to know whether any were lost. Quite a number escaped when they were released. THE LOSS to the State may be roughly estimated at $500,000, on which there was no insurance. Of course prompt measures will be taken to re- build the asylum, as it is an absolute necessity to the State. What will be done in the meantime with the 600 patients is a question not easily answered. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Boston Daily Evening Transcript Friday, September 27, 1872 BURNING OF THE INSANE ASYLUM IN OHIO CLEVELAND, O., Sept. 27. The probate judges throughout the State, having been telegraphed for, are arriving at Newburg to take charge of the lunatics belonging to their respective counties. About half the unfortunate inmates of the asylum were removed yes- terday by friends and county officials, and the remainder will be taken to their homes today. Five lives were lost at the conflagra- tion, all being citizens of Newburg, except BURGESS of Bedford, Ohio. Several others were severely injured. As far as known, none of the patients were injured, but several are missing, and it is supposed they escaped and are now at large. The loss is now esti- mated at from $475,000 to $500,000. CLEVELAND, Ohio, Sept. 27. Later reports from Newburg confirm the fact that six persons, including three already telegraphed, are victims to the asylum fire. ISAAC HERRON was so badly burned that he died in a few hours. WILLIAM EDWARDS and W. MORGAN of Newburg are missing. They were seen to go into the building, but when the large water tanks fell from the top of the main building they must have taken them, and possibly others, under, as the tanks fell without a moment's notice. It is still thought that none of the in- mates perished, but a large number are missing, who probably es- caped during the fire. ==========================================================================